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Check out 12:10 in the video above for the scenario.
Any number of fantasies about the future danced in my head back in the weeks leading up to the October 1st , 2013 release of NBA 2k14. I geared up for another year of playing a distasteful amount of virtual basketball in the well-worn confines of 2k's Association and My Player modes. But, while combing through all the previews surrounding the game I stumbled upon a new feature called, "LeBron: Path to Greatness".
Most sports fans like myself are suckers for speculation. The 24 hour media cycle demands that we daydream about these roster transactions and speculate on how all of the pieces will fit together. This sort of tea leaf divining has driven a huge part of the sports blog cottage industry that we all hastily consume every day. So, of course I was in on this mode from the word go.
This LeBron specific mode focused on two branching paths: 1. Stay with the Miami Heat and create a new dynasty. (Harrumph!) Or 2. Help LeBron travel the NBA landscape on a "Fantastic Journey" and face some ridiculous challenges that only basketball junkies like myself would entertain. Needless to say, the A button nearly broke in trying to see what was up with option 2.
About an hour in, I was thrust into an Eastern Conference Championship game against an unretired Allen Iverson and his Philadelphia 76ers. My nostalgia reliably overflowed but something was still missing. The Cleveland Cavaliers were still despondent in real life and no video game "What If?" scenarios were going to change that.
About a year later all that changed with James' letter and ensuing return. That Friday afternoon when I woke up from my nap to check my cell phone, which might has well been levitating because of all the vibration, felt like one of the scenarios from the game.
This postseason has been an emotional roller coaster that I have never seen before in my short time here in Cleveland when compared with family and friends who were born and raised here. We had Kevin Love get his arm broken, J.R. Smith get suspended, Derrick Rose punch the city in the gut, LeBron roundhouse Chicago's dreams the next game, Delly emerge and then bury the Bulls, Kyrie get hurt, More Delly dust-ups and The Cavs dismantle the Hawks in the last month.
I still cannot believe the Cavs are in the Finals. But, we are here now. The whole city sees we have a chance to win the title I've heard whispered of in hushed tones since the moment my mother moved back to Cleveland in the summer of 2004.
Back in the game, 2k14 had LeBron going to the Knicks this year and then a bunch of detours including a new big three composed of himself, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul. Then, LeBron was supposed to invite an old Kobe Bryant back from retirement in the following year for one more run at a ring. After all of this craziness, James was to return home to Cleveland to team with Kyrie Irving and some new faces (not including Kevin Love, can't win ‘em all right?).
In year two of this grand experiment, the game has LeBron square off with the Golden State Warriors in a year where the media is fixated on his declining athleticism. You complete this challenge to show the doubters that greatness doesn't have an expiration date and even without the same firepower of past years, James can still get it done.
Who would have thought almost two years later that the Cavaliers would be staring down a similar obstacle in real life? Most experts have them taking 2 games at most in this series. I believe that just like in the game that LeBron's fantastic journey this year will have a happy ending.
Check out 12:10 in the video above for the scenario.